This invention relates to an articulated arm assembly for carrying machine means and particularly relates to a brake lathe suspension arm. A device for docking an articulated arm assembly for a vehicle lift is also disclosed.
Various two post and four post lifts have heretofore been utilized to lift vehicles such as automobiles or the like from ground level to a lifted position. Such two post and four post lifts are commonly used to service vehicles whether for oil changes, installation of new tires or replacement of brakes.
Various on vehicle brake lathes have heretofore been designed in order to resurface opposite sides of a brake disc for a wheel or to resurface the inside of a wheel drum for brake mechanisms.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,153 relates to an alignment device to be mounted on a vehicle brake lathe to provide quick and easy lateral runout compensation. Such adapter is carried on a wheeled carriage, which is adapted to be rolled on a surface such as a floor or the like.
Moreover U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,563 relates to an on car disc brake lathe unit for simultaneously resurfacing of opposite sides of a brake disc for a wheel without removing the disc but only the wheel and other parts of the brake mechanism and with a device for rotating the disc comprising the housing with two synchronous sliding holders each with a tool for resurfacing a disc brake surface, a driving mechanism for the sliding holders comprising an electric motor and a gear between the electric motor and the sliding holders and an adjustable device for controlling the current to the electrical motor in relation to the position of the resurfacing tools. Such brake lathe systems disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,163 are also adapted to roll along the floor of a building.
These and other brake lathe units are relatively bulky complicated mechanisms that tend to get in the way of a worker who is walking around a vehicle. Moreover such brake lathe units generally contribute to congest an area around the vehicle to be worked on and present obstacles in which a worker must work around.
It is an object of this invention to provide a more efficient brake lathe system that is easy to operate and to manipulate.
It is an aspect of this invention to provide an articulated arm assembly adapted to carry a machine comprising a first member, a second member pivotally connected at one end thereof to said first member for pivotal movement thereabout, a third member extending outwardly from another end of said second member, said third member including structure for connection to said machine and structure for adjusting the position of said machine means.
It is another aspect of this invention to provide an articulated arm assembly adapted to be attached to a vehicle lift and adapted to carry a brake lathe comprising a first horizontal member having one end adapted for attachment to said vehicle lift for pivotal movement thereabout, a second horizontal member having one end pivotally connected to another end of said first horizontal member, a vertical member depending substantially vertically downwardly from another end of said second horizontal member, said vertical member having another end presenting connecting means for connection of said brake lathe means to said vertical member, said vertical member including vertical height adjusting means for adjusting the height of said brake lathe means.
It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide a device for docking an articulated arm for a vehicle lift comprising means for receiving said articulated arm in a first stored position, sensing means for sensing the position of said articulated arm in said first stored position and permitting operation of said vehicle lift and for sensing the displacement of said articulated arm from said stored position and inhibiting operation of said lift.